I Do, I Do, I Do
by samuraistar
Summary: Intros, reunions, plans, adoptions, and two final showdowns must take place before Jimmy & Cindy can ever be wed.
1. Prologue: The Return

I probably should've let the last story sink in for a little bit before moving on, but I'm ready for this trilogy (and the NEXT J/C story) to be over with, no offense to myself. :S Anyway, I want to thank all my lovely readers for sticking with me and reviewing and accepting my cookies! This story's going to be a little...different. A little weird, really, but I promise it's gonna be good! You'll see the return of a long-lost rival, a family feud put to rest, a cameo reappearance, a brand new pairing, and best of all, JIMMY AND CINDY'S WEDDING!

Oh, and as you've gathered from the Epilogue in the Odyssey, Alex's family is going to be a sub-plot in this story. Eventually, I'm going to work up a story in which the full extent of her past is brought to light, such as how she started working for that creepy evil doctor in the first place, her motives, etc. Because her whole "social outcast" story in the New Jersey fic wasn't a very good explanation (now that I've developed her better). Oh, listen to me: Blabbering when I should be posting. All right: Let's get it on like diddy kong!

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"_And who knows? Starting a new journey may not be so hard."_-Kairi, _Kingdom Hearts 2

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**I Do, I Do, I Do  
** _

**Prologue: The Return**

_At the Vortex home..._

"Thanks, Sasha," said Alex as Mrs. Vortex poured some hot water into the mug between the girl's hands.

"No trouble, dear," Sasha smiled as she stuck a lemon onto Alex's mug brim. The older woman sat across from her, put her reading glasses on, and started working on the checkbook. Both women were tired, and it was 10:30. Alex's cat Frankie was sitting on the window sill in the living room swishing her tail back and forth, watching the skies.

"So you're definitely shooting for her release?" Sasha asked casually. Alex nodded.

"You bet I am," she said with conviction, "She's been in that place far too long. She's my mother, and I have to fight for her." Sasha nodded approvingly.

"If you ever want to borrow my lawyer too, you're more than welcome," the mother added, "He's a very good lawyer."

"Thank you," Alex smiled, "Your support is invaluable to me."

"I hope so," Sasha smiled back, "You've lived with me half your life."

"Alex!" Frankie meowed, "Come look at this!" Her master joined her at the window and looked up into the stars. They saw what looked like headlights descending, and fast!

"What is that, Alex?" the gray she-cat mewed.

"It's a class 4 intergalactic military cruiser," the girl genius answered promptly, "Royal, it looks like."

The house started to rumble. Alex's water rippled; dishes rattled in the sink; the outside wind chimes were indiscord. Sasha looked alarmed.

"What in the devil?" she exclaimed as she hurried to the window. As the source of the disturbance hovered closer to the street, Frankie yowled in fright and jumped into Alex's hold as the girl herself backed away in alarm. The ship landed in the street and a foghorn blared down the lane. House lights blinked on and neighbors rushed out. Sasha stood in the open doorway as Alex and her cat went to the sidewalk. Rigid as she was with shock, Alex had a pretty good idea what was going on. Frankie inched toward the quieting ship; but when the ramp started to lower, she squealed and bee-lined back to her owner. Hugh, Judy and others on their side of the street crowded to the ramp, but not so much that Alex couldn't see Sheen jumping off it with triumph.

"HELOOOO, RETROVILLE!" he pointed as a blue child jumped onto his shoulder. Alex could hardly believe it as they trooped out: They did it! They were home! Judy & Sasha were hysterical with relief and rushed to their children, shortly joined by the parents of the others.

Alex tried to walk to them, but she was so overwhelmed, she fell to her knees laughing and crying. Only when she felt a presence in front of her did she look up to see Jimmy smiling down at her with two identical blue children wearing togas by the hand.

"Jimmy," she whispered. He took hold of her shoulders.

"Get up, you silly!" he laughed as he lifted her, "Don't look so surprised." Alex laughed through her tears and hugged him hard.

"_Alex!"_ Cindy ran to them.

"_Cindy!"_ The two girls embraced each other fondly as Alex pushed Cindy's hair out of her own face.

"Thank heaven you're all right!" Alex said, "I was so afraid you'd end up like..."

"Your dad?" Cindy finished as they pulled apart, "Actually, it's funny you should say that." Alex raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"It is?" she asked, "Why?" Libby joined them as they looked knowingly at each other.

"Alex," Cindy gently said as she held Alex's arms firmly, "your father is alive."

Alex didn't say anything; she was too confused.

"What do you mean?" she asked, perplexed.

"Girl, what do you _think_ we mean?" Libby bubbled, "We mean you're daddy's alive! We brought him back with us!"

"You WHAT?" Alex's eyes popped.

"Come see for yourself!" Before she could say another word, Jimmy and Libby grabbed her elbows and hands and herded her to Carl and Sheen, who were with the neighbors and newcomers. The redhaired man turned and looked with sudden emotion at his daughter. Alex was choked. Had her mother been right all along? Had Jacob "Jack" Turner returned?

"Daddy?" she said with a small voice.

"Hi, Button," he fondly called her by her nickname; no one but him had _ever_ called her "Button," not even her mom. It was his special nickname for her.

"**_DADDY!" _**Her joyful voice pierced the night like the cry of a phoenix as she melted into her father's kind, strong arms. He stroked her hair and rocked on his heels.

"I'm so sorry, Alex," he croaked, "I missed out on so much."

"No, daddy," she wept, "**I'm** sorry. I lost my faith in you. I believed you dead, even when Mom didn't!" Then she remembered!

"_Mom!"_ she gasped and looked up at him, "Dad, there's something you should know about Mom! She's"--

"In the psych ward, I know. Your friends told me," he replied darkly as he held her head to him, "But she's not crazy, is she?"

"No," she said, "We have to get her out of there."

"We will, Button, I promise," he told her solemnly, "But it's after hours now. We can't do anything right now. Pain as I am to say it, we'll have to wait until morning." Alex looked distressed, but laid her head on his chest and sighed.

"You're right," she said glumly, then happily added, "You're always right." Jack broke the hug, but kept an arm around her.

"For the time being," he smiled, "I believe some introductions are in order..."

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**Author's Review:**

BACKSTREET'S BACK–ALL RIGHT!!!! Better believe it, baby! After a short hiatus, I'M DISHING OUT MORE LOVE AND DRAMA! Get ready for...all the stuff I already mentioned earlier!!!


	2. AndHere We Go

Holy crap, I am SO sorry, everyone! (Bows the Japanese way) Please don't give up on me!

Okay, we're all excited, right? Good! April fans will be particularly proud of our favorite Gorlock this chappy, so I hope this'll be good for y'all! And anyone who's becoming a Frankie fan (Alex's talking cat) please tell me so I'll feel more confident about her as a character. thanks, y'all!

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"_Pull your pants up, Patrick. We're going home."_-Spongebob Squarepants, _The Spongebob Squarepants Movie

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**Chapter 1: And...Here We Go**

If Jimmy's engagement to Cindy had caused a stir, it was nothing compared to what was going on now. Someone was already calling the news, and this posed Jimmy a problem. He did not want his precious Coraham and her dear friends having so much pressure on them when they hadn't been on Earth for half an hour, and Cindy and the others felt the same. So while Alex and her father answered questions (particularly Jack, since everyone had thought he was dead), the others herded the children to Jimmy's lab, where they were guaranteed safety & privacy.

"Right," he set Coraham down, "Now all of you stay here with Goddard and don't touch anything, understand?"

"Yes, daddy!" she chimed. He smiled.

"Good girl." He kissed the top of her head and turned to the dog.

"Goddard, guard," he commanded, "You too, Frankie. Keep the girls entertained, and don't let anyone out of the loop _near_ them, got it?"

"Aye-aye, sir!" the she-cat saluted with her tail.

"Bark! Bark!" agreed Goddard.

"What is she, some kind of a cop cat?" Sheen asked as they exited the lab.

"In a sense, yes," Jimmy answered, "When she was accidentally affected by Alex's experiment, she was gifted with human speech, advanced ninja-like agility, and enough human intelligence to at least give her a sense of morality and a wider attention span. Alex decided she'd make a great home security guard cat, so she taught her a code of ethics for cats called the warrior code and the fighting style of what she calls the Four Clans of the Forest."

"Hey, _I_ know that!" Carl clicked, "My dad reads those cat books; they're called 'Warriors.' They're fairy tales, but it does teach cats a good way to fight and stuff."

"Yeah, Alex told me about those books," Jimmy said, "She said she reads them to Frankie regularly (they're like a cat Bible). Frankie really takes those stories seriously, and I like the result. She's shaping up into an honorable cat."

"Wait a minute," Sheen interjected, "You mean Frankie's entire lifestyle is based on a fairy tale?"

"What? _Yours_ is," Jimmy remarked. They rejoined their friends; April was being interviewed. Her helmet was under her arm, and her hair kinda looked like Betty's.

"Miss Gorlock, what is your involvement in this miraculous return?" a reporter asked. April pointed her thumb behind her at the _Moyer._

"That's my involvement," she answered with a smirk, "_Moyer the Destroyer_, the flagship of the Gorlock Royal Armada. It's my father's. I carried Jimmy halfway across the cosmos with his baby, and I'll _thank you not to go messing around in it!_" That last part was directed toward a scrawny teenaged photographer. She needn't have, though; her men were on close guard.

"Miss Gorlock, do you plan to stay on Earth for any period of time?" a woman asked, "I'm sure such a trip must have wearied you."

"As a matter of fact, I do," April nodded, "I was personally invited to the Neutron/Vortex wedding, so I'll be sstaying just long enough for that. Until then, my men and I will be keeping an orbit above your city. We have cloaking, so you won't see the ship. Rest assured, my ship and crew are prepared and more than willing to vaporize any and all elements of your media, be they local or national, that bother Jimmy or _anyone_ involved with him. The same applies for his wedding day. A wedding is pure and special; it needs no media to ogle it. Next question?"

April appeared to be handling them very well: She took each question in stride, and didn't take any BS from anyone. The others were impressed! Cindy decided to take advantage of the opportunity and took Jimmy's hand.

"Hey," she whispered, "Let's get outta here." Libby, Carl, and Sheen nodded their agreement.

"I want to see Leriah," Libby murmured anxiously, "This whole schmere is new to her, and she'll need me." The boys felt the same, too.

"Go on, Jimmy," Alex whispered, "April, Dad, and I'll handle the hootzba." Jimmy nodded his thanks, took Cindy's arm in an escort position, and quickly led them to his house. Judy was waiting for them at the door, and motioned for them to hurry inside.

"Come into the kitchen, everyone," she said, "I brought your elf children in here." Goddard trotted at Jimmy's side to the kitchen. The elves looked up and their faces brightened!

"Mommy! Daddy!" they called to their respective future parents, except Taram, Sherem, and Marthis. Hugh was at the table.

"Mom, Dad," Jimmy said, "You brought them in here?"

Judy smiled at Marthis and said, "The dear things looked so sweet and helpless, I just had to let them in."

"It's true, Mr. James," Frankie meowed from the window sill importantly, "And they are in the loop." Jimmy chuckled.

"Good cat, Frankie," he smiled at her, "At ease."

"Thank you, sir," nodded the cat. She leapt down and trotted to the window in the living room, where Leila was. All the blinds were down to hide the children.

"That little Marthis of yours is very productive, Jimmy," said Judy when they sat down, "Is she...reserved for anyone?"

"Actually, Sherem was 'reserved,' for lack of a better term, for Mrs. Vortex," said Jimmy as they watched Sheen & Carl play with the girls, "And if Alex agrees to take Taram, then that's good. So if you want Marthis, Mom, she's all yours." (**Important Author's Note**: I don't want y'all to think of Jimmy and everyone as being cruel or anything like that. These children need parents, and Jimmy's just trying to figure out who would be best for whom. That is all.)

Judy and Hugh were delighted! Judy swept Marthis up and danced with her as they both sang, _"Lollipop, lollipop! Oh, lolly, lollipop!"_ Hugh leaned over to his son and humorously muttered, "You couldn't have found a better outlet for impending Empty-Nest Syndrome, Jimbo."

"That's what I'm here for, Dad," Jimmy smiled wryly. At length, the little ones began to yawn and let their eyes droop.

"I think seven little someones are ready for bed," Judy said gently as she picked Marthis up with shining eyes, "Hugh, go and fold the bed out of the couch. Jimmy, run to the linen closet and get out the Big Quilt and some pillows. Everyone else, pick a child and help me get them situated." Cindy picked up Coraham and Sherem; Libby took Leriah, Leila gently scooped up Taram, and Sheen and Carl respectively got Chemnal and Chidori.

"Leila," Judy kindly addressed Libby's computer handmaid, "If it's all right with Libby, would you mind staying in here with the girls?" They both looked at Libby, who said, "It's all right with me, Leila." At this, Leila nodded her consent to Judy.

"Wonderful," the woman said, "Well, it doesn't look as if we're getting out of this house tonight, not with the media sharks out there, so why don't you boys crash down here on the floor while the girls take our guest room upstairs." Carl and Sheen had already fallen on the floor from exhaustion, so Cindy and Libby put a blanket over each of them and a pillow under their heads. The others didn't feel inclined to sleep, so they sat in the kitchen with some herbal tea and talked to Judy for a while.

Finally, Frankie ran in and announced that Alex and her father were coming inside. She then perched herself on the kitchen window sill as Goddard barked her a greeting. Jack and Alex came in looking tired.

"April and her men are already up there," Alex said, "Everyone's finally gone." She slumped down next to Libby with a sigh.

"Come here, Frankie," she said. Frankie leapt in front of her. Alex started petting her and giving her attention while the cat purred. It wasn't that Frankie wanted attention; it was that _Alex_ did.

"Who's this, Alex?" Jacob asked with interest.

"This is Francesca Miyaki Turner," Alex said, "but we just call her 'Frankie.' I got her about a year ago. Say hello, Frankie." But she only meowed.

"It's okay, Frankie," Alex smiled, "He's in the loop. This is my father; you can call him Jack." Frankie blinked, meaning okay, turned to Jack and said in plain English, "I'm honored to meet you, Mr. Jack," while dipping her head to him. He was startled!

"You can _talk_?" he said, then turned to Alex, "Alex, what did you do this poor creature?" He remembered his child was a genius.

"I was trying an experiment once," she explained with an amused smile, "I wanted to see if I could make something to talk to plants, so we could hear what they think. When I wasn't looking, Frankie accidentally knocked over a beaker of the experimental liquid and lapped it up. By the time I found her, she was unconscious. I managed to wash the fluids out of her, but the effects were stuck: She can talk, she's a vegetarian, and she has a sense of right and wrong. So I taught her to be a warrior cat out of those 'Warrior' books. You remember those, Dad? We used to read them all the time. I taught her all those Clan cat fight moves from the stories. She's an amazing cat, aren't you, love?" Alex scratched under Frankie's chin as she purred with her eyes closed and ears flat.

"Uh, Alex?" Jimmy interrupted, "Could I talk to you, please?"

"All right," Alex conceded, "Go on, Frankie; patrol around the block, and tell Sasha where we are, okay?" Frankie stood.

"You got it!" she whipped her tail and jumped off the table. "Come on, Goddard!" she flicked her tail to beckon him with her. Goddard barked and followed her out the doggy door.

"What's up, Jim?" Alex turned her attention to her unofficially adopted "brother."

"It's about one of the elf girls in there," he sat next to her, "Her name is Taram. She's a medicine elf with magic star powers, and..." He wasn't sure how to word this.

"And?" she prompted.

"And I was wondering if you...wanted to...I dunno...adopt her?" he finally asked. Alex's eyes popped open wide.

"Adopt?" she repeated, "As in, parenthood?"

"Um," he said nervously, "yes?"

Alex looked overwhelmed. "Jimmy, I–I don't know," she said, flustered, "I mean, my apartment _is_ a two-room, and Frankie's not as much of a handful as other cats. And I am on call for work, so my beeper's always on..."

"And if you need her to," Cindy added, "Taram could just disappear and reappear at one of our houses."

"Or," said Libby, "she could help you sometimes, medically. She's really magical, Alex. Hers is healing magic! And you could teach her plants and the healing stuff they can do! Elves are super fast learners!"

"Above all," Jimmy said in all seriousness, "she is a child who needs a home and a loving parent. I can think of no other person more fit to raise someone like Taram than you. That's why I saved her for you, Alex; you're perfect for each other."

Alex watched her friend as he talked, and was humbled. Everything he, Cindy, and Libby had said was true, and it couldn't hurt to at least spend some time with her to see how it works out, as Jimmy pointed out presently.

"All right," she finally said, "I'll spend some time with her. If we can stand each other, I'll adopt her."

"Thank you, Alex," sighed Jimmy, "Now, all that's left is Sherem, but we can take care of her tomorrow."

With that, he and the girls got up and retired upstairs. Jimmy slept in his room, and Cindy and Libby took the guest room. Only Alex, Jack, Hugh, and Judy remained in the kitchen. While Alex slept on her father's shoulder, he told Jimmy's parents all about his adventure, from when he drifted away to when he came home with Alex's devoted friends. Frankie and Goddard soon returned; seeing her mistress asleep, Frankie curled up in her favorite spot on the window sill and went to sleep. Goddard trotted upstairs to sleep with Jimmy.

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**Chapter Epilogue!!**

At 7:00 a.m., Frankie woke and stretched; she shook the sleep out of her head and started off on her dawn patrol.

She'd slunk around the corner of the house when she spotted a crappy-looking robotic cat stalking near Jimmy's clubhouse. Frankie's eyes narrowed in alarm and her neck bristled; whoever that robot was, it was out of the loop and an intruder.

Tail lashing and ears flat, Frankie unsehathed her claws and crouched. Her lips drew back to a snarl.

"HEY, YOU!" she screeched. The robot turned and saw the gray cat; having been spotted, it split to the right and made for the street. Frankie was after it in a heartbeat, and lost no time in tackling it and pinning it down. It made no attempt to defend itself, and it gave no struggle. Frankie spat with displeasure; she'd wanted a challenge.

Grabbing it by its blue collar, Frankie dragged it to its feet and growled, "Get up; you're coming with **_me_**."

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**Author's Review:**

Well, what y'all think of Ms. Frankie? Whoo, go kitty!

Um, no references this time, I'm afraid. Surprising, isn't it? I gues I really _can_ operate without feeding off of something that's already been done! Yay, me! Anyway, please review and have a cookie! Love y'all!


	3. Deletion by Combustio

Holy crap, you guys! I am SO IMMENSELY SORRY for being so slow! I've been working and going to school and sleeping late and all this crap! Waaah, please don't hate me! Please stay with me, y'all! I've also just had my big 2-0, and I got Kingdom Hearts 2 for my birthday! Woot! And I just wrote two KH fanfics, too, so...bear with me, okay? Here's chapter 2 for ya!

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"_Kairi...I know you; you're that girl he likes."-_ Roxas,

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**Chapter 2: Frankie's Prisoner: Deletion by Combustion**

Everyone was in the kitchen and/or living room, including Cindy's mother. Cindy was introducing her to Sherem in the living room while Chemnal played around on the rug with Goddard.

Leila was allowing Leriah and Chidori to play with her immensely long teal hair. Marthis was fluffing cushions and folding sheets for fun. Taram was talking medicine in the kitchen with Alex, and Coraham was learning about breakfast foods from Jimmy.

All of a sudden, a metal cat was thrown through the kitchen doggy door, followed quickly by the ferocious she-cat that had caught it. Frankie pounced on it and put a strong forepaw down on its neck, lashing her tail. Goddard started barking and approached the robot to help her guard it, growling. Goddard and Frankie were like partners; they'd been friends for a year and knew each other very well by now. So Goddard knew that when Frankie's hackles were up like they were now, it was for a good reason.

"Frankie, what's going on?" asked both Jimmy and Alex.

"I found _this_ pathetic scrap of steel sniffing around your clubhouse, Mr. James!" she snarled, "It didn't even _try_ to fight! It just turned tail and ran like a coward!"

"Let me look at it, Frankie," said Jimmy, "It probably wasn't programmed to fight." She nodded, even though she didn't understand what "programmed" meant, being a cat.

"Yes, sir," she said, then growled to the robot, "Up, you." She roughly butted it to its feet with her head. Goddard picked it up in his mouth, extended his neck while Frankie walked up nimbly on it, and deposited their prisoner on the table. The robot had two tiny green eyes, the kind that looked like they shoot beams, and no detailed facial features. The others gathered around to see what was going on.

"Goddard," ordered Jimmy, "scan that thing."

"Bark!" Goddard's eyes scanned the metal cat and popped up his screen. Jimmy and Cindy both read it.

"Hm," Jimmy frowned, "Not very high-tech."

"Yeah, but look at those firewalls!" Cindy pointed, "That's some of the most expensive software on the market!"

"Then someone's hiding something," Jimmy nodded, "Goddard, try and find out who owns this thing, or who made and/or dispatched it."

"Jimmy, sir!" Leila spoke up suddenly, "With all due respect, do not allow Goddard to execute this command!" The others looked surprised at the humanoid computer.

"Why not?" Jimmy asked.

"I scanned it also, I admit," Leila confessed, "I did it at the same time he did, and I found a defense system deep in the firewalls. If Goddard ventures any further into the droid's program, it will fight back, possibly damaging his _own_ defenses! I know your dog is very advanced, sir, but I think it is best that he not try to penetrate the thing's defenses."

"Could he get around them?" asked Alex.

"If I may, sir," she addressed Jimmy again, "I think I may be able to blaze a safe trail for Goddard to follow."

"If it'll keep you both unaffected," answered Jimmy, "then go for it."

"Thank you, sir." Leila went out of focus again; her eyes closed halfway and fuzzed like a tv in a neat pattern as she wove her way around inside the robot. Carl, Sheen, and Jimmy's parents took the little ones outside; only Jimmy, Cindy, Libby, Alex, Jack, Frankie, & Goddard remained with the lovely persocom. Presently, Leila got a surprised look on her face, but stayed out of focus.

"This robot is a probe droid," she announced, "It was sent as a spy to find something out. (She paused.) Whoever sent it heard of Mr. Turner's return to Earth, and wants to know if it's true." She came back into focus; the others were shocked to hear this!

"What?" exclaimed Alex, "Why would someone send a probe droid when they could just come here?"

"I am sorry," Leila shook her head, "There is no data to answer that."

"Isn't it obvious?" spoke Jack calmly, "They're scared." All heads turned to him.

"Dad?" Alex asked in confusion.

"If they weren't afraid of meeting me face-to-face," he said, "they _would_ have. (He frowned in thought for a moment.) Leila, can you pull up an E.I.C. for me?"

"Yes, sir," nodded Leila. As she carried out the request, Libby asked, "What's an EIC?" Jimmy, Cindy, and Alex simultaneously answered, "Encrypted Identification Code." Before the first two could say another word, Alex beat them to it.

"Jinx! You both owe me sodas!" she cried gleefully.

"I have a match, mr. Turner," Leila announced, "Your Encrypted Identification Code is _Eugene 787924_." Jack looked serious and didn't say anything for a while. Jimmy & Alex also thought about the code and what it could mean. Finally, Jack stood up.

"Come on, Button," he addressed Alex, "We'll worry about that code later. We're going to get your mother released." Alex's eyes sparkled.

"My bike's right outside," she thumbed out the window. As the two redheads stood up to leave, Leila asked, "Sir, what are we to do with the probe droid?"

"Destroy it" was the answer as they left the house.

"Frankie," said Jimmy, "if you'll move our 'visitor' to the floor, please."

"Gladly," the she-cat growled as she flicked her tail. She violently shoved the droid onto the kitchen floor and pounced on it before it could get away.

"Goddard," Jimmy commanded, "Dome shield on the droid." Frankie stepped aside, crouching as Goddard put the shield over the robot cat.

"Leila," Jimmy turned to her, "You have a deletion by combustion function, right?" Leila looked surprised, but nodded.

"Execute it, please," he said. The lovely, sweet-tempered persocom stood before the shield-covered droid and went out of focus again. As she accessed the function, her eyes narrowed, giving her a curel look, and turned red. Immediately afterward, the droid exploded. As Goddard vacucumed the mess up, Leila snapped back into focus looking somewhat bewildered. Frankie had jumped in surprise, and was licking her chest fur to smooth it back down (she doesn't pay attention very much). Libby shuddered and grabbed Jimmy's sleeve.

"Listen, Jimmy," she said lowly, "Don't you ever ask her to do that again. I don't want my future daughter or any of the kids to be scared of her; she's too sweet for that." So Leila's ability to (basically) kill other robots and/or any other machines was kept secret from then on.

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**Author's Review**

Y'all thought I abandoned you, didn't ya? ;D

Please accept my humblest apologies, readers...I've been busy with work, school and other works of fan fiction that I'm currently handwriting in the Kingdom Hearts section. I hope you'll read it when I start posting that, but I promise you all that I'll finish this story! I might also do the honeymoon story–it's not as great as this one, but it'll be pretty cute, I think.

No references this time, I think, but the first 10 people who leave reviews get cookies!!! And I'll try to update a lot sooner this time! I LOVE YOU ALL!


	4. Book the Band

Okay, I'm doing better on updates this time! This one's not that exciting, but it's cute and it's there.

Astute samuraistar readers will recognize some Teen Titans OC's mentioned in here, too! Watch carefully! (By the way, I don't own any of these real-people singers) I do own the band Spellrose, however; so NO COPY CATTING OR ELSE!

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"_And if we look in our hearts, would we not find the heart of a salmon?"-_ Johnny Bravo

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**Chapter 3: Book the Band**

Later that day, Cindy and Libby were at the park with Coraham (now unofficially called "Cori") and Leriah; while the two young adults watched the girls run about and chase butterflies and birds and squirrels, they discussed picking a band for the wedding.

"What about Switchfoot?" suggested Libby.

"Too rocky," Cindy said.

"Okay," Libby scratched her list, "How about Enya?"

"Too mythical," she replied, "Everybody will fall asleep."

"True," nodded Libby, "What about Phil Collins?"

"Too 80s."

"Whitney Houston."

"Too _loud_."

"Celine Dion?"

"Too French."

"Right–sorry," said Libby, "Well, let me think here..."

"Mommy! Mommy!" chirped Coraham as she scampered to Cindy, "Look at what I found!" Cindy looked: A beautiful monarch butterfly was poised on the child's tiny finger.

"Wow," Cindy said, "What a beautiful butterfly, Cori!" Cori beamed and asked, "What kind is it, Mommy?"

"It's a Monarch," she answered, pointing to its wings, "See how big its wings are, and the pretty markings? That's how you know the kind of butterfly it is." Cori's eyes widened in surprise.

"You mean there are different butterflies also?" she asked in fascination, "_All_ kinds?" Cindy couldn't help but grin. She nodded, "All kinds."

"Oh, wow!" Cori exclaimed, setting the butterfly to flight, "Come on, Leriah!" And they ran off to find more bugs. Smiling, Cindy turned back to Libby, who had a strange look of realization on her face.

"What?" Cindy enquired.

"I've got it," she answered, "Spellrose." (I made them up; MINE!)

"Who?"

"They're a family band," Libby explained excitedly, "A guy, his sons, and his daughter all play and sing. The dad's name is Fort Rose, short for Fortinbras. He's 50, but you can't tell. He switches between lead and bass with his youngest song, 18-year-old Daniel, and his daughter, 17-year-old Merlina, or just Lina for short. She also plays keyboard. His oldest son Jonathan, a _gorgeous_ 25-year-old, is their drummer. They play it all, especially love songs. You just give 'em a list and/or requests! It's like magic! Actually," she lowered her voice, "They seriously _are_ magic; they're a...what do you call it...a wizarding family."

"Wizarding?" Cindy shot a quizzical look at her friend.

"Yeah," Libby nodded, "That's why they're called 'Spellrose.' Spell for their magic and Rose for their last name." Cindy thought for a minute and looked at Libby, saying, "Spellrose, huh?" Libby grinned and nodded hopefully. Her blonde friend smiled and nodded her consent by saying, "All right; Spellrose it is."

"Yes!" Libby jerked her elbow backward, "You are gonna _love_ this, Cindy! They wear these baggy samurai clothes..."

As Libby rattled on, Cindy turned her gaze toward little Cori; she was a good distance away, peering into a bush. Suddenly, she stagged backward in alarm with a high-pitched scream and fell over.

"Cori!" Cindy and Libby sprang from their bench just as Leriah dove into the offending foliage.

"Leriah, get out of there!" cried Libby out of pure fright. Cindy picked Cori up as another silver robot cat pelted out of the bush and into open daylight. With a vicious snarl, Libby's future child tore out as well and landed in a cat-like crouch with her eyes glowing a faint icy blue. The robot cat was outlined in thin blue; it was still running, but not going anywhere. Leriah mentally dragged it back toward her, slowly at first, but then slammed it against a tree. When it fell, she dragged it back out of the bushes with her powers so that it was in plain sight of the current party. Leriah stood up, her eyes still glowing, while Libby looked wide-eyed at her.

"Good job, honey," she said, "Cori, you all right, baby?" She nodded.

"I heard something in the leaves, so I went to see what it was," the girl explained, "Then I saw its creepy eyes, and it hissed at me...It looks like the same thing Dr. Alex's cat found this morning," she added thoughtfully. The two young women exchanged a shocked glance.

"Jimmy should know about this," commented Cindy.

"I agree," nodded Libby, "Leriah, can you destroy this thing?"

"I can," was the reply.

"Do it, please," Libby asked.

"Yes, Mommy," the child nodded and made the whole cat glow before it exploded. The remnants, still glowing, soon disappeared; if there's one thing you can say about space elves, it's that they never leave a mess. Leriah then blinked, returning her eyes to jungle green.

"Come on, honey." Libby took her hand and they left the park with Cindy and Cori.

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**Author's Review**

So sorry about the delay, readers! I hope you liked this one, too! And I'll get better, I promise!

I have a request to make: Along with this story, I'm also working on a Kingdom Hearts story called "Riku's Rain." It's really good, I think, but I've only gotten two reviews for four chapters and I'm like "what's the deal here?"

If anyone of you who read this story is a Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts 2 fan, could you maybe take a look at it and read and review it, please? I would be SO grateful to y'all! (Especially you, **Genius Flyboy**; you have no idea how valuable your opinion is to me.) Please read my KH2 fic and please review this story, too! Love y'all!


	5. The Two Mothers of Alex Turner

Yay, another update! Took a while, yeah, but not as long as last time...I think. Anyway, please enjoy! Alex fans: This is the one where they "rescue" Alex's mother! YAY!!! (balloons!)

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"_I am a lasagna hog."_- Weird Al Yankovic,

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**Chapter 4: The Two Mothers of Alex Turner**

Jack and Alex left Jimmy's house on Alex's motorcycle.

"A _motorcycle?_" Jack asked incredulously. Alex gave a nervous titter and said, "Hang on tight!" before he could go on. They sped off for the psych ward and parked in Alex's usual spot. Just afterward, Cindy's mother parked next to them in her car.

"Sasha!" exclaimed a surprised Alex, "What are you doing here?"

"Well, you don't expect your mother to ride wild, do you?" the woman smiled wryly, "I'll drive your parents back to my house. Your room's been empty for a year since you left. If it's all right with you, Mr. Turner, you and Leah may share my guest room."

"Thank you, Sasha," he nodded, "You took care of my daughter when neither I nor my wife could. And for that, I also thank you." Sasha nodded back.

"I owed your daughter a great debt," she said, "She helped rescue my Cindy from a kidnapping when they were young." Alex blushed and turned her head with her hair curtaining her face; not from embarrassment, but from shame of the knowledge that she herself had been one of the people that had put Cindy in danger in the first place. She tugged her father's arm sleeve.

"C'mon, Dad," she murmured, "Mom's waiting." Jack nodded and let Alex lead the way, anxiously anticipating the oncoming reunion with his wife, his true love, Leah Hanson Turner.

"In here, Dad," said Alex outside Leah's door. They slipped in the door, closed it softly behind them, and looked around. The light was off, and the sun was streaming through the window; the overall atmosphere had a gloomy, pale-gray tint, and Leah was sleeping in her bed quietly. Jack stood immobile with emotion. His daughter took his hand, said, "It's okay, Dad," and led him to kneel by the bed, standing back. Jack raised his hand and held it near Leah's back tentatively.

"Go on, Daddy," Alex whispered with excitement. Jack's gaze on his wife softened, and with new confidence, gnetly touched her.

"Leah," he whispered, almost in a sigh, "Leah, wake up." She stirred and turned toward him with her eyes closed. Slowly she opened them and saw a face she had not seen for nine years. Her eyes widened with emotion and made ready to spill.

"Jacob!" she murmured as she touched his face, "I knew you'd come back for me!"

"Every time, baby," he smiled, "And we're getting you out of here." Alex knelt next to him and explained, "Mrs. Vortex is signing the legal papers right now, Mommy! You've already passed all your tests, so we can leave now! And we'll go to Sasha's house, where she's offered you and Dad her spare room!"

"Sasha," her mother smiled fondly, "I owe her so much. She's been a wonderful guardian, Jack; Alex has told me all about her life here."

"And now we can be a part of it again," said Jack as he offered his hand to her, "You and I." She stared up at him.

"Cowboy, take me away!" said Leah as she recovered her long-lost childhood. Jack picked her up bridal style and briskly left the room with Alex happily behind them. Sasha was in the hall with a wheelchair, but Jack laughed and said, "We don't need it, Sasha! I've waited nine years to hold my wife again, and I'm not inclined to let her go just yet!" Sasha laughed with Leah as a nurse came to escort them.

Some of the other patients poked their heads out of their rooms to see what all the commotion was about. When one woman asked Leah where she was going, she kicked up one graceful (though pale) foot, threw her arms out, and proclaimed, "I'm outta here, Carolyn! I told you all along my husband would return for me, and he has! Just look! Here he is!" She held Jacob's face for her friend to see. He nodded good morning to her and as he walked on, Leah looked behind him and waved goodbye, saying, "Remember me to StarClan, Carolyn!" Carolyn rushed out and waved back, "The blessing of ThunderClan goes with you, Leah! We'll never forget you!" More patients ran out and shouted farewells to the popular raven-head.

"Goodbye, Leah!"

"Congratulations for you and your husband!"

"Goodbye, Leah! Be happy!"

"I'll tell Bruce goodbye for you!" said one lady who was in love with Bruce Springsteen.

"Alex!" yelled another, "I heard about your friends getting married! _Mozel tov!_"

"Thank you, Belche!" she responded (_Bell_-kuh).

They reached the lobby and said goodbye to Sally, the friendly receptionist.

"Goodbye, everyone!" Leah's voice tinkled like bells with joy, "Adieu! Sayonara! _Au revoir, mis amis!_"

"Your mother sure was popular here, Button," commented Jack.

"She's been here since I was 12 years old," Alex said drily.

Jack carried Leah to Sasha's car and joined her in the back seat. Sasha drove the spouses to her house with Alex following close behind, who was occasionally passing beside and in front of them like a puppy. As Alex zoomed on her bike, an old line from a pioneer story came to her mind:

"_And we went on our way rejoicing."_

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**Author's Review**

Okay, references away!

The ending line actually is from a pioneer story...the LDS pioneers, to be exact!

The references to StarClan and ThunderClan are from the "Warriors" book series by Erin Hunter, my hot reading series (besides Harry Potter).

The patient who was in love with Bruce Springsteen was inspired by a story my Psychology teacher told me about a lady who was so crazy as to think she actually had a relationship with the guy–followed him to every concert and all that jazz.

The whole farewell to Leah was loosely inspired by a deleted scene from 102 Dalmations, where Cruella leaves the ladies' prison. She's all like "goodbye, my girls! Be happy!" and stupid stuff like that.

Hope you liked this! See y'all next chapter!


	6. Fathers, Mothers, Daughters

Yay, still going! I'm on FIRE! YAY, some of the girls are going to be adopted in this chapter! Hooray!

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"_I heard Abraham Lincoln speak when I was five years old! Lincoln had a more raspy voice...more like Tony Danza."_- Old Man on _Pinky and the Brain_

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**Chapter 5: Fathers, Mothers, Daughters**

"_Another one?"_ Jimmy was incredulous, "It didn't hurt anyone, did it?"

"It hissed at Cori, Master Neutron," Leriah spoke up by his knee, "but I blew it up!"

"Er...nice job, Leriah," he said to her before sighing.

"Hey, everybody!" an elated Sheen called as he walked in with Chemnal perched on his right shoulder and Carl dancing behind him with Chidori. Both men had shopping bags from Li'l Gal, Skirts for Flirts, and TJ Nickel's.

"Did we miss something?" asked Jimmy.

"Or are you boys sprucing up your wardrobe?" Cindy joked.

"They're not for us!" Sheen objected, "They're for the girls." Carl added, "We just got back from Commander Baker's."

"What were you doing with Commander Baker?" asked Libby.

"Adopting our daughters, of course!" piped Sheen, "Guys, I'd like to introduce you to Chloe Mercedes Estevez!"

"And may I present," said Carl, "Charlotte Lucinda Wheezer!" The others were stunned.

"That's a little quick, isn't it, guys?" said Jimmy.

"Well," said Sheen, "we were having so much fun, we just couldn't wait!"

"Hooray!" cried Cori, "Chloe! Charlotte! What beautiful Earth names!" As she hugged them and went through their new clothes with them, Leriah asked Libby, "Mommy, what will you rename me when you adopt me?" Libby thought for a moment; the idea had never occured to her before!

"Well," she said presently, "I've always like the name Linda!" Leriah smiled brightly.

"Is that what you wish to name me?" she asked.

"Are you okay with it?" Libby asked back.

"Yes, Mommy!" she nodded, "I so want to have an Earth name! I want to fit in, after all. My hair and skin are changing as well!"

"What? It is?" asked Libby. Leriah looked surprised.

"Have you not noticed, Mommy?" she said, "My body is altering my skin pigment and hair color to yours!"

"But why?" Libby asked, "Don't you like yourself the way you are?"

"Of course I do," the child nodded, "but consider this: We are on Earth now, my friends and I. We are adapting our bodies to its environment and changing our colors. Have you not seen how my friends' skin has also changed? It's an imprinting process; we want to match our parents, but we control the way we look, too." She added shyly, "And I want to look like _you_." Libby smiled and picked her up.

"Aw," she said, "Thank you, baby. I promise I'll be the best mommy in the world for you!"

"And I promise to be the best little girl ever!" said Leriah. Libby took a good look at the child in her lap and found what she'd said was true; her blue skin was growing a faint shade darker by the day, and her hair was thickening as well as darkening. Libby then noticed the newly named Chloe and Charlotte. Chloe's hair was long and black, and her skin tone matched Sheen's perfectly. Charlotte's hair was now a slightly more orange-red, and her face had a faint hint of freckles against pale skin. Libby couldn't believe she hadn't noticed before. And Cori looked like a beautiful little girl with Jimmy's skin tone, choosing herself to keep her hair brick-red. The only thing that stayed the same for all of them was their eye color.

Just then, Goddard ran in barking excitedly with Alex on his heels with flushed cheeks and disheveled hair in her face.

"You guys!" she said breathlessly with sparkly dancing eyes, "You've gotta come over to Cindy's house! _**My mom is here!**_"

Everyone already knew the semi-famous Leah Turner, but it was exciting to have her back in the real world again. The younger adults introduced the little girls to her, and she was also pleased to meet Leila. Alex then drew Taram to her and said, "And Mom, this is Taram. She's a space elf like the others. I'm going to adopt her." Leah and Taram looked at each other, and Leah smiled.

"So you are to be my granddaughter," she said kindly. Taram nodded, and Alex put her hands on her shoulders.

"We're going with Cindy & Libby to look at wedding dresses, Mom," explained the young doctor, "And then I'm taking Taram to Commander Baker to adopt her."

"Who?" asked her mother.

"Jimmy's part of a government agency, Mrs. Turner," said Cindy, "Commander Baker's the BMIC of it, and he can do weddings and apparently, adoptions."

"BMIC," Leah repeated, "What is that, Big Man In Charge?"

"Yep," she nodded, "Do you want to come dress shopping with us, Mrs. Turner? It'll be fun."

"Thank you, Cindy," Leah politely declined, "but I haven't seen my husband here for nine years. I'd like to spend some time with him."

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Libby stared into the 3-fold mirror at Cindy in amazement. 

"_Dang!"_ Libby exclaimed.

"It's gorgeous," agreed Cindy as she turned on the stool in the dress she was trying on. The skirt was long, full, and shimmering, and the train was like liquid. The top was short-sleeved with Japanese-looking flowers embroidered at a slant with an occasional bead stitched in.

"Is it a go?" asked her mother, "That's the 25th one you've tried."

"Yes!" Cindy declared with excitement, "This is the one!"

"Great choice," said Libby, "though I really liked that one with the lace. It looked like 'My Fair Lady.'"

"When you get married, _you_ can look like Audrey Hepburn," Cindy ansered drily, (or was it Katherine?) "I prefer not to." They put the dress in a hanger/dress-bag, paid for it, and left. They'd also bought Cori a cute little flower girl outfit, complete with a basket!

"And now," said Alex, "If you'll excuse me, I have to find Commander Baker."

"I know where he is," said Cindy, marching up to a public mailbox. She knocked on the little door in the "Shave and A Haircut" pattern. The lid opened and widened into a tunnel mouth as the bottom of the box made contact with the ground. The others were wide-eyed.

"Mommy?" Taram tugged on Alex's hand, "Are mailboxes supposed to do that?"

"Not usually," she said, "Is that where Sheen & Carl went, Cindy?"

"Yeah, I talked to 'em today," she answered, "Well, if you two are on your way, have at it."

"Hold up," said Libby, "Make that four. Leriah and I are ready to be a family, right, baby?"

"Right!" Leriah jumped up and down. Leila, who was with them, smiled happily.

"Well, _I'm_ taking Sherem home with me," Sasha spoke up, "Cindy, if you want to go with them, I'll take your dress back home, too."

"Thanks, Mom." Cindy carefully handed her the dress and said, "Let's go, guys." And she dove headfirst into the tunnel in the mailbox. Cori floated up by the mouth in confusion, then shrugged and flew in after her.

"Well, kiddo," Alex smiled, "Let's do it!" The young doctor sat in the mouth and Taram floated into her lap. Then the two slid down. As the wind whipped their faces, Alex kept a good grip on the child in her lap and was reminded of the dump tunnel from the "Grinch" movie. Just behind her, she could hear Libby whooping with enjoyment. Before she had time to think how absurd she was, Alex landed on her bottom in an underground government room full of, well, government stuff. She quickly scrambled out of the way to avoid Libby and stood up with Taram in her arms. A big, strapping man in a white shirt and black tie was standing in front of them.

"Hey, Commander!" Cindy greeted them brightly, "What's shakin'?"

"Afternoon, Cindy," he smiled as they shook hands, "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

"Feel like doing a couple more adoptions?" Cindy thumbed at Libby & Alex.

"What? More space elves?" Commander Baker said, dumbfounded.

"And there are three more to come," Cindy smiled, "Mine and Jimmy's parents each have one, and Jimmy & I plan to adopt our own after we've gotten a place to live."

"Oh, brother," the bald man rolled his eyes, "All right, ladies; this way, please."

Ten minutes later, Alex and Taram were standing hand-in-hand before Commander Baker. He'd drawn up the papers and was filling in the legal blanks.

"And what will the child's name be?" he asked Alex. She's already deliberated with Taram on a name and answered with a confident smile, "Tara Elizabeth Turner." The commander wrote in the name and handed the pen to Alex. She looked at the child tenderly, knelt to her level, and told her, "With this pen, my child, I take you for my own. With my hand, I will take you to my home. With my life, I'll guard you like the stars. And with my love, I seal you to my heart." The little girl put her hands over the hand that held the pen and smiled. This moment to them was the moment that they truly committed themselves to each other, and knew that they would live their lives together as mother and daughter. Then Alex stood up, signed the document, and swept Tara off her feet in a spin-hug.

"Now you _are_ my mommy!" the child cried. Commander Baker blew his nose into a handkerchief and buried his face in it.

"That was beautiful!" he sobbed.

"Hey," said Alex proudly, "if there's an oath for doctors, there can be an oath for adoptive parents!"

"Who are you kidding, Alex?" Cindy commented wryly, "You make an oath for everything." Alex blushed.

"No, I don't!" she objected.

"No?" Cindy continued with amusement, "Remember middle school? You were in 8th, we were in 7th? You were chosen to be Hall Monitor for the week, and you dragged the speech all through Gym class!"

"She never would've stopped, either," Libby added, "if Coach Goodman hadn't pelted her with a dodgeball!" Alex's cheeks sizzled.

"Ahem," Baker tapped his desk, "If you don't mind, ladies, I believe Ms. Folfax is next." Libby lit up even more and took Leriah's hand.

"Come on, baby," she said gently, "It's our turn now." In a manner of minutes, Libby was the proud mother of the newly named Linda Brooklyn Folfax! In the midst of the happiness, an impact connected to Cindy's mind: She was getting married in 4 months!

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**Author's Review**

Sorry so late, y'all; life and all. Anyway, hope you liked this! Yay for adoptions! The next chapter gets kinda intense, and we'll see the return of another character! Mwahahaha! But you have to review!!!! Later!


	7. Cat Talk

Sorry for not updating for so long; I've been working on a Kingdom Hearts fic, and it's going really well! So, ah…I hope y'all haven't abandoned me or anything! (world's smallest violin) So we'll just move on with a chapter that involves talking cats and bridal showers! Yay!

This is also the chapter that we discover the artistic perspective of household pets! (…)

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_"Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads and that the cycle was broken, but I haven't lost hope."_—Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, _Avatar: The Last Airbender

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**Chapter 6: Cat Talk**  
(A couple of months later…)

It was now one month until the wedding, and almost everything was ready: Food, church, guests, participants, (i.e. bridesmaids, flower girl, ring bearer, Best Men, Maid of Honor, Reverend, ushers, etc.) hotel room, and all that jazz were ready. They just needed the band to s how up now; they would meet Libby at her house. But today, Cindy and Libby were attending a bridal shower at Alex's apartment. The guys took the kids to the park. It was just Cindy, Libby, Judy, Sasha, Libby's mom, Leah, Brittany, Nissa, Betty, Ms. Fowl, and (oddly enough) Principal Willoughby. A disgruntled Frankie sat sulking on her stool by the glass door.

"Oh come now, Frankie," Alex said as she set down cups, "Try and be a good hostess?"

"_You_ own the apartment," meowed Frankie, "And you own me. I'm the pet, _you're_ the human; that makes _you_ the hostess, Alex, not me. Can't I go to the park and chase squirrels with Charlie and Goddard? The girls love it." Alex sighed.

"All right," she conceded, "Go get Charlie and meet the guys. But stay with them, keep your ears pricked, and remember how many lives you have."

"One," the cat responded, "Thanks, Alex!" She swished her tail and bounded to the door.

"And…?" prompted Alex.

"Don't talk to the humans." The cat twitched her whiskers in amusement and slipped under the kitty flap. Frankie walked down the concrete hall outside and up an iron flight of stairs to Charlie's floor. She padded down until she stuck her head through his kitty door and found the yellow blue-eyed tom eating out of his bowl. His mistress was nearby sketching a work-in-progress of him and had black oil pastel on her nose, cheeks, and all over her hands like a chimney sweep. Her rich brown hair was up in a bun with a few locks hanging loosely by her face. She wore a white apron smudged with the pastel/lead mess of the day. Frankie meowed to announce her presence.

The artist looked up for a second before returning to her work and said, "Charlie, Frankie's here." Charlie stood up from his food, licked his chops, and ran out the door to touch noses with his friend (it's a cat greeting).

"Come on!" she mewed (in cat language, btw), "My house friends are all at the park!" They scampered off together and headed down the street with their pet tags blinging in the noonday.

"Today's Sketch Day, then?" the gray she-cat asked.

"Yep," Charlie nodded, "They're coming along great, too. Polly says she's got a good feeling." (A/N: Charlie doesn't speak English, just cat. Frankie speaks cat and English, just a reminder.)

"She sell any paintings this month?" asked Frankie at the corner of the crosswalk, "I heard that Monet tribute _killed_ at the art show!" Charlie flicked his tail proudly as they crossed.

"It did," he said, "She raked in 60 grand for that one." Frankie purred amusingly.

"So it's ice cold sushi for breakfast, huh?" she said.

"You bet!" said Charlie as they reached the park. Frankie narrowed her eyes and looked around until Tara's red hair flashed across her vision. Before the two cats moved, though, a flash and a poof announced the arrival of an 18-year-old boy wearing a pink hat and buck teeth with two tiny floating people behind him (yes, I saw that FOP special! I don't care!).

"Okay," said the boy urgently, "We're here. Now I've gotta find Cindy!"

Frankie meowed loudly in surprise with her tail curved up, her ears pricked, and her right forepaw picked up. _Cindy?_ Why did _**he**_ want to see her? How did he even know who she was?

"Hey! Maybe that kitty knows!" the male tiny person said, "Hola, Senor Gato! Comó estas?" (bad spelling, I know)

"Cats don't speak Spanish, you idiot!" the female scolded.

"No," said the pink boy, "but…I wish I could speak cat!"

(Poof!) The boy knelt next to Frankie and asked her in cat, "Hi, there! I'm looking for Cindy Vortex! I've been to her house before, but it's been a while. Do you know where I can find her?"

Frankie and Charlie were stunned with wide eyes. _**No**_ human spoke cat! Naturally, Frankie went into warrior mode and narrowed her eyes at the stranger.

"I don't just give out that sort of information to strangers who randomly pop up with tiny floaty people," she said in English suspiciously, "Who are you and what do you want with Cindy?"

"Oh, my name's Timmy," he said, also in English, "I'm an old friend of hers."

A chord struck in her mind. Goddard had shown her some videos some time ago…

"Timmy," she mewed, "Timmy _**Turner?**_"

"Yes," was the answer. Alarm flooded through her: The boy who tried to take Cindy away from Jimmy! The cat raised her hackles and unsheathed her claws.

"Charlie!" she yowled in cat, "Blackfoot's in the nursery! Guard duty on the Doctor border!" Charlie understood her coded alert and took off speedily.

The warrior house cat turned back to Timmy and laid her ears back, lashing her tail angrily.

"You won't take her away again, Turner!" she said, "Not if I can help it! REOW!" She sprang up on him and tackled him in the face. They tumbled over with Frankie's angry screeches and Timmy's painful cries, followed by a wish. With another poof, Frankie found herself in a cage!

"Let me out of this thing!" she meowed.

"Why, so you can claw me again?" retorted Timmy.

"Uh, _yeah_!" she said.

"Heh—I don't think so," said Timmy, wincing from his scratches. The pink-haired lady hovered maternally over him.

"Oh here, sweetie," she said, "let me fix you up." (Ding!) His scratches were gone. He stood up.

"Thanks, Wanda," he said, "Now let's follow that yellow cat! I think he knows where she went!"

"NO!" Frankie yowled, struggling against the cage, _"You stay away from her!"_ But Timmy had already run off with Cosmo and Wanda on his watch.

"Oh, this is not good," she mewed to herself, shaking her head helplessly, "What's Jimmy going to say when he finds out his rival is back? What if Timmy tries to kidnap Cindy? The wedding is in _one month_ now! Ooh! Where is that dog?" She switched to English and turned around in the cage, yelling "GODDARD! GODDARD, WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Bark, bark!" came the reply as Goddard bounded up to her with Jimmy & company on his heels. The dog skidded to a halt by his partner and whined with concern while touching noses with her (friendly gesture only).

"I'm fine," she said, "Just get me out of here, please!"

"Bark!" Goddard started to laser eye the cage bars.

"Frankie, what happened?" asked Jimmy, "Who did this to you?"

"Jimmy!" she swished her tail impatiently and said anxiously, "Timmy Turner is back! He's come for Cindy again!"

"WHAT?" yelled Jimmy.

"I _**saw**_ him!" she insisted, "He spoke cat to me and my friend, Charlie! He tried to ask where Cindy was, but I wouldn't tell him. I sent Charlie to watch her, but Timmy's floaty people poofed me into this cage, and now he's following Charlie to _my_ house!" She jumped free of the cage.

"Good cat, Frankie," said Jimmy, "We've got to act fast. Girls, teleport us to Dr. Alex's house and surround him; but don't hurt him."

"What about me, Jimmy?" Frankie asked eagerly on her paw-tips.

"Run back home," he said, "and guard Cindy with your life."

"Yes, sir!" she flicked her tail and bounded away.

"Uh, Jimmy," said Sheen, "It's not like he's a terrorist."

"Or French," added Carl. (French students, don't flame me! They make fun of the French all the time! I'm just keeping in character!)

"I know that, guys," said Jimmy, "but think about it: He doesn't know about me & Cindy, and with Cosmo and Wanda floating around him, Turner can do anything he wants. At any given moment he could have Cindy back in Dimmsdale before you could say 'pathagorean theorem.'"

"Which would give him plenty of time," remarked Sheen, "You're right, Jimmy. Today, we will fight!"

"Yeah! The Three Amigops!" cheered Carl, "All for one…"

"…and All For Love!" said Sheen.

"It's 'One For All,' Sheen," said Jimmy.

"I know," he said, "That's just a song from one of Libby's favorite movies."

**Author's Review:**  
That movie, of course, is The Three Musketeers—the one with Keifer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, and Chris O'Donnell! Yay! I hope you liked this one, and please forgive my late update!!!! I still love you guys!


	8. The Other Conflict

Okay, we're gonna take a little break from the main plot and check out what Alex's dad does! This one's a very revealing chapter, and I hope y'all like it!

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_"Knowing you'd be there gave me the courage to show up. That woman terrifies me! I can't face her on my own!"_—Howl, _Howl's Moving Castle

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_

**Chapter 7: The Other Conflict**  
While Jimmy and friends were chasing after Timmy, Jack Turner was riding a small limo to the high end of town. His face was tense, and he wore his light saber where he always kept it: The inside pocket of his white lab coat. The limo belonged to certain members of his family he hadn't seen in a long time. It was a wonder he remembered its call number.

He sat quietly with his eyes closed, his arms folded, and one ankle resting on his knee. The driver glanced at him in the rear view mirror.

"Mr. Turner," he finally asked, "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to talk to the boy," the man answered, "If he's too afraid to see me himself, I'll simply have to go to him myself."

"If you don't mind, sir," the driver continued, "There's something I've always wondered…What happened that day?"

"We were in orbit," he said, "And I'd gone to check on something in the back, I don't remember what. When I came back, I caught him sabotaging one of the main engines. Before I could say or do anything, the shuttle started to blow; all I could do was put him in his escape pod and send him home. I got into mine, but I was jolted and pushed in a wrong coordinate. I was thrown off course and hurtled into space, never to be seen again…until today."

"What will you do to him, sir?" the driver nervously asked.

"Don't worry," Jack smiled, "Nothing violent. But he needs to understand the consequential magnitude of his actions, and that bitterness and begrudging people is no reason to destroy a life."

"You're saying he hates you," the driver was shocked, "Why?"

"Because I remind him of someone he's never seen," he said softly.

The rest of the drive was silent until they reached the compound. Jack said thank you and got out.

"Mr. Turner," the driver called, "It's good to have you back, sir."

"Thank you, Blix," Jack smiled and rang the doorbell. A maid answered and ushered him into a parlor where Mr. Strych met him. He was astonished!

"Jacob!" he said. Jack smiled.

"Hello, Thurston," he greeted him as they shook hands, "I've come to speak to your son."

"I'm already here," said the son's voice behind him. When Jack turned to him, he saw a young man who looked like he'd just seen a ghost.

"Hello, Eustace," said Jack.

"Uncle Jacob?" Eustace nearly squeaked, "You're alive?"

"Thurston," said Jacob, "would you close the door, please?" Mr. Strych nodded and closed the door. The three of them sat at a table. No one said anything for a while, then Jack cleared his throat and broke the silence.

"Interesting code, Eustace," he said, "Those probe droids of yours weren't as low-tech as they appeared."

"How did you know about the probe droids?" the younger man asked, not disguising his shock.

"Surely you didn't think you'd elude me?" said Jack calmly, "My knowledge, ever so humbly, exceeds your own by decades. I know what you did on the shuttle, Eustace, and I've come to demand that your grudge against me be laid to rest. Your mother's death was no one's fault, and we all felt the loss just as strongly!" Eustace sprang to his feet with his hands on the table.

"And who are you to come here and speak of her to me?" he hissed. Jack rose, too.

_"You know perfectly well who I am, boy!"_ he stormed, _"Few knew her better than I did! I will not be talked down to by a spoiled brat who's never even met her!"_ They stared at each other with hostility. Lightning seemed to crackle from all around them.

"_**Sit down,**_ Eustace," said Jack. Giving the older man a nasty look, he did. Jack sat back down as well and chose his next words.

"I am not here to cross words with you, Eustace," he said more gently, "I merely want you to understand the sacrifice your mother made for you, and why you cannot carry on with your bitterness towards me." Eustace looked at his father, who nodded. Then he looked back at his uncle and nodded okay.

"Thank you," Jack began, "Your mother's full name as a child was Anastasia Eunice Turner and I was her twin brother. I was older by 10 minutes, and no siblings were closer than Stacey and me (we called her "Stacey" for short). Her pregnancy with you had everyone excited…" He paused and looked sadly at his hands, "…but she lost much blood giving birth to you. Too much, I'm afraid, to keep her alive. Her death impacted us all, your father and I more than anyone. In his grief, your father combined her first and middle names and named you Eustace. 'Eu' from her middle name Eunice, and 'stace' from Stacey.

"Your mother," he started to waver, "was the gentlest person I had ever known. I loved her more than anyone. Our parents got divorced when we were 12. Mother wanted to take Stacey with her, but she and I wouldn't be separated because of something that wasn't our fault. We did not believe we deserved to be punished. So Father took us to court and won custody. We swore to each other that nothing would keep us apart. To see her in that hospital bed…dying…To see you, a newborn without his mother…seemed more than I could bear. Death took my sister from me…" He looked helplessly at his nephew, "…and all I have left of her is you."

Eustace was floored. He didn't know what to say at first. He'd been angry because he'd never known his mother; his father and uncle had been closest to her; for that, he'd been bitterly jealous of them. That was why he never wanted his father around while he had company, (remember Million Dollar Boy?) and that was why he'd broken his uncle's space shuttle. He couldn't speak, but his eyes implored the older man for forgiveness. Jack returned the look and reached into his pants pocket, withdrawing his wallet.

"Let this be the token," he said, "of our reconciliation." He handed Eustace a wallet-size photo of a red-haired, light green-eyed young woman in a red graduation outfit. The boy's throat constricted.

"Is this…?" he tried to ask. Jack nodded, "One of many. It's from when she graduated Harvard. Her dream was admittance to the bar in Federal Court." Eustace looked up at his uncle and with tears pouring down his face, whispered "Thank You."

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**Author's Review:**  
Um…I got nothing this time. Please just review.


	9. The LetDown

Hi, Neutron fans! I'm back after being such a slacker and working on my Kingdom Hearts stories! Sorry I neglected this story, hope it hasn't lost its appeal to you guys after all this time. Even if it has, I feel the need to finish it, so I will.

Last time we left off, (which I think was January) Timmy Turner was back to get Cindy and Alex's cat Frankie was heading to Cindy's house with the news. And here we go!

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_"No matter what happens, I couldn't ask for a better son."—_The Mayor of Whoville, _Horton Hears A Who_

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**Chapter 8: The Let-Down**  
Alex was sitting on her couch in deep conversation with Betty; her little cousin was in the hospital under Alex's department, so Alex was giving her the 411 on his condition. The report was good. What wasn't good was her cat pouncing through her door and springing into Cindy's lap unceremoniously. If she'd been a cat herself, Cindy could have smelled the fear from the poor creature. Frankie knew this and was thankful she couldn't, but her prickled fur and wide eyes betrayed her to the sympathetic concern of the human on which she now sat.

"Frankie!" Cindy gasped.

"What's the matter, baby?" asked Libby beside her.

"Ms. Cindy!" the cat panted quickly, "Timmy Turner's returned to Retroville and I suspect he means to challenge Mr. James for your hand once again!"

"WHAT?" squawked Libby and Alex in unison. Cindy was perplexed, and it showed in her face.

"'Challenge for my hand?'" she echoed incredulously, "Doesn't he know I'm engaged?"

"Apparently not," said Libby drily.

"Is that what you're so worked up about, Frankie?" Cindy asked, making the poor cat feel ridiculous. She sat up and awkwardly licked down her chest fur, sheepishly mumbling, "Yes." Cindy chuckled, "Is that it? Look, Frankie, it's fine. I'm marrying Jimmy, and no one can change that. Timmy's got no competition; all he has are those funny-looking programs…" She trailed off with realization. Alex's owl-like eyes widened.

"…which he could use to kidnap you." She'd spoken Cindy's mind.

"And now everyone in this room knows Frankie can talk," said Libby flatly. Alex turned; all their guests were staring weirdly at them. She quietly turned back to Cindy and Libby.

"Get your shades on, girls," she whispered, "Frankie, go in the room until it's safe." The three young women put on their sunglasses, plus Judy and Sasha, who followed the signal.

"All right, ladies!" chirped Alex as she reached into her back pocket, "(And Principal Willoughby) On behalf of our lovely bride, I thank you all for making it to our bridal shower. I look forward to participating in the wedding with all you bridesmaids, mothers of the bride and groom, and our illustrious Maid of Honor. If you will turn your attention to my right hand…" She held up a small rectangular iPod Nano and pressed a combination of its buttons.

"Oh!" said Principal Willoughby, "An iPod Nano!" (DISCLAIMER)

"You are correct, sir," smiled Alex as a little square red light flashed rapidly in the top half, "And, thanks to my own modifications, it also conveniently serves as a short-term memory zapper fashioned after the standard issue neutralizer from Men In Black."

It made the same sound from the movie too, leaving its non-sunglasses-wearing victims in a daze. Alex removed her shades with a satisfied smile.

"Thank you, and drive safe," she said as if she'd finished performing. Judy and Sasha herded everyone out first before leaving themselves.

"Right," said Alex, "Cindy, if you're still confident about Timmy, you might try talking to him."

"Chillax, Alex," Cindy said smoothly, "Even though he could, I don't think he'll kidnap me."

Timmy was just in front of Alex's building when two little girls suddenly appeared in front of him. They stood side by side before the bottom hallway and held their hands up in front of them. Their hands and eyes were glowing electric blue, barring the way. They had long since saved their togas for nightgowns, but their power as strong as ever, and they kept their star clamps as décor (and to still use magically).

"Halt!" they shouted. Timmy skidded and turned to run, only to face two _more_ little girls with blue on their hands! To his left and right two more appeared in the same manner, one on each side. He was trapped!

"Cosmo? Wanda?" he said nervously.

"You expect us to fight innocent children?" exclaimed an incredulous Wanda.

"Do they _look_ innocent to you?" retorted Timmy.

"Not another word, Turner!" said Jimmy behind him, "End of the line!" Cindy entered the circle from in front, gently nudging the girls aside. Alex sent Tara to lead them inside up to her apartment to play with Goddard and Frankie to watch them.

"_Timmy?_" Cindy exclaimed, "What are you _doing_ here?"

"Cindy? Wow!" brightened Timmy, "Look how grown-up you are!"

"What do you want now, Turner?" asked Jimmy, who was now standing behind him. Timmy faced him defiantly.

"You've had 8 years since the dance to let Cindy make up her mind," he said, "and I've come to finish the challenge."

"That would be difficult, Turner, considering there _is_ no challenge," Jimmy replied steadily.

"What are you talking about?" shouted Timmy, "She clearly can't stand you, so I've come to deliver her from annoyance."

"I _have_ made up my mind, Timmy," Cindy put in sternly with her arms crossed, "and I need no deliverance. I've chosen Jimmy." Timmy's eyes showed that his heart sank. His shoulders drooped; Cosmo and Wanda were silent sad floating heads on his techno-watch.

"Why?" he asked in a soft painful voice. Cindy sighed; she knew this was going to be hard, but he deserved to know.

"Something happened to me that night at the dance, Timmy…"

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**Author's Review****:**  
Ha! You didn't think I was just going to go on, did you? Mwahahaha! Hope you enjoyed it! I'll try to update it again! Later!


	10. Power Hour 2 Flash Back

Sorry I've been away so long, everybody; I've been working on other fics and handling other real-life business (bleh)

Sorry I've been away so long, everybody; I've been working on other fics and handling other real-life business (bleh). This chapter is a sort of fan sequel to the Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour…the first one…and Alex is in it! Yay!

_"Dear MacGyver: Enclosed is a rubber band, a paper clip, and a drinking straw. Please save my dog."_—Peter Griffin, _Family Guy_

**Chapter 9: Power Hour 2 Flash-Back**  
_My shiny teeth and me (shiny teeth, shiny teeth)_

All the kids were having a great time at the first-ever multi-dimensional dance party. Alex didn't have a date; she just danced with whoever happened to ask her. She salsa danced one song with Sheen, Michael Bublé's "Save The Last Dance For Me," and was impressed with his foot work. He'd claimed his grandmother had made him learn, to give him a healthier outlet than Ultra Lord (like _that_ worked). Libby was also impressed with her boyfriend's dance skill and begged him to teach her. So while they did that, Alex looked over to see Jimmy and Timmy in a tug of war with Cindy, who was obviously enjoying the attention. Alex made a small "T" sound to herself, her sign that something bothered her. The feeling festered: Timmy had won. Alex saw with a stab of pain the look of sadness on her colleague's face as Cindy ran off with Timmy on the 2-D side, where Sheen and Libby were.

_'Timmy,'_ she thought with distaste as she cringed, _'Why did he have to come here in the first place? What right to her hand does he think he has, that he can just poof in and mess everything up?'_ Jimmy caught her eye and started to make his way over to her. She got two cans of Purple Flurp and waited until her friend stood dejectedly before her like a puppy that had been promised a treat only to have it snatched away. She looked in his eyes with her signature searching owl-like gaze. She heaved a sigh and said, "Come with me."

Silently, Jimmy trudged behind her until they came to one of the many set-up tables with attractively anchored balloons in the middle and popped open their soda cans. Only then did Alex begin.

"I saw what happened, Jimmy," she said, "I know what's wrong." She flinched as her best friend lifted his sad eyes to hers. In them the girl genius saw an infinite world of pain that no equation could decipher or solve.

"Why did she do it, Alex?" he voiced the pain, "After all we did for each other, the danger we faced together? How could she _consider_ him to me? I thought she _liked_ me! I thought we _had_ something! I thought…" He dropped the volume and lowered his eyes to his soda can as if the answers were in the sugar. Then he finished quietly, "I thought she _loved_ me."

Alex stared at him with her sad eyes widened slightly. How could a situation get this bad, she wondered. She pinched her eyes shut as tears threatened. When she opened them again, they were flashing with indignation. Part of her wavy orange-red hair fell over half her right eye. Jimmy knew what _that_ meant.

"You're about to _do_ something, aren't you?" he asked, wide-eyed.

"I'm going to the bathroom." She stood up and strode across the gym to the "flat" side and thus to the girls' room.

(In 2-D) Cindy was drying her hands and humming cheerfully to herself when the door slammed open. Shocked, she looked up to see a very unhappy Alexandra Turner.

"Wow, Alex!" she chirped, "You look _great_ in 2-D!" Alex didn't answer, but intensified her glare like a night-owl on the hunt.

"Something wrong?" Cindy asked.

"_I'll_ say there is," she said lowly, grabbing Cindy by the cartoon arm and rooting her in the doorway, "Look out there on the 'bulgy side' and tell me what you see." Cindy couldn't see anything out of the ordinary for a double-universe dance (except Carl with Mrs. Neutron in that jar; that was a little freaky) but…

"Am I supposed to be looking for something?" she asked.

"Only a brokenhearted Jimmy Neutron, that's all!" Alex's voice rose considerably.

"What?" Cindy responded in a daze. Alex took her back in the bathroom to a corner.

"Do you have any idea what you've done to him, Cynthia Aurora Vortex?" she demanded angrily, "The level to which you have dragged him singlehandedly? Do you have the _slightest conception what you're putting him through?"_ She was freaking Cindy out, and her face told her this.

"Care to clue me in?" she asked a little nervously. Alex calmed down some.

"I'm sorry, Cindy," she said, "I'm just so…(sigh) Look, Cindy," she grew serious, "Jimmy is out there right now in the poorest of spirits because of you."

"Me?" she said in surprise, "Why?"

"Why do you think, Cindy?" she got angry again, "Because your carrying on with that half-wit Timmy has completely broken his spirit, leaving him emotionally crippled! I don't care if this _is_ just a dance! This goes well beyond the dance, and you know it! I don't even think you really _do_ like Timmy, anyway! You're just using him to make Jimmy jealous, aren't you? Well, it worked! Are you happy now? Are you proud of yourself? You've not only made him jealous, you've broken his heart as well! And _now_ look what you've done! See what you've reduced him to!" This time Cindy saw Jimmy, his blue eyes dull and empty with rejection, downing another can of Purple Flurp.

"He loves you, Cindy," Alex said sadly as Cindy turned back to her, "Is this how you're going to treat him?"

Cindy covered her mouth as her eyes wavered; what had she done? She broke down and let the tears fall.

"I," she wept, "I didn't mean to do that to him! I just wanted to see how much he liked me!"

"Hasn't he already shown you that multiple times?" challenged Alex, "Where were you when he dangled over the ocean to save you? Where were you when he gave you that pearl he worked so hard to find just for you? Where were you when he cahsed you across the universe to Dimmsdale? If you were truly so blind then, do you see _now?"_ Cindy stared helplessly at her as her tears continued to run. Then, like a whipped child, she nodded.

"I can't go on with this anymore," she cried, "not now that I've seen what I've done to him. I know what I've got to do now, but how can I face him after this?"

"Well," said Alex, "You can start by drying up. Then you can go over and tell Jimmy the truth. The next dance is his anyway, and it's a slow song." Cindy looked up at her with self-doubt.

"You can do it, Cindy," she said, "You're a strong person, and I've always believed in you and Jimmy, since the night we met." Cindy smiled and left the bathroom with Alex.

"Cindy," Alex suddenly remembered, "did you know your eyes change color on this side?"

"Yeah," she answered in equal bewilderment, "I don't know why."

"Hey, Cindy!" piped up Timmy as Alex headed off somewhere, "Next song's a slow one!" Cindy forced herself to perk back up.

"Sorry, Timmy," she teased, "This one's Neutron's. And this time, no cutting in."

"Oh," he said, "Okay. Have fun!" The easy part over, Cindy turned serious and sad again. She crossed back to the 3-D side and picked her way through the crowd until she stood near him. Her voice came out smaller than she'd intended.

"Jimmy?" He turned, saw her, and brightened like a bulb. He scampered over to her like an excited puppy.

"Hey, Cindy!" he greeted, "Is it my turn again?" She nodded and added, "But Jimmy, I have to tell you something first…" Her tear ducts were gearing up for another round.

_'Idiot!'_ she told herself, _'Don't start crying now!'_ But her other voice told her it was okay; he didn't mind. She faced him squarely.

"Jimmy, I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Sorry? For what?" he asked.

"For doing what I've done to you!" she burst out, "I kept saying I liked Timmy, but I lied! I was just trying to make you jealous, to see if you liked me enough to think I was worth fighting another boy over! And even if he won, if you'd _keep_ fighting! I was so stupid! I'd forgotten everything we'd gone through before." Her volume spent, she slumped and continued, "I knew all along it was wrong, and that I couldn't go on playing you both. I'm sorry, Jimmy." She looked at him as her beautiful eyes glistened with cataracts of tears. She was too choked up to voice it, but her mouth formed, "I'm so sorry."

Jimmy just stared at her. Sweet heavens, she was even beautiful when she cried. He didn't know what to say for a minute.

"Cindy," he finally spoke, "I forgive you…but I've gotta know: Who would you rather be with, Cindy? Me or him?" The last of her tears fresh from her eyes, she smiled at him.

"Just you, Ace," she used a movie quote to answer him. Her heart floated as his beautiful eyes regained their light.

"Really?" he said, "I mean…Honestly?"

"Cross my heart, hope to die," she said, her tears gone at last.

"Do you?" he asked as they lost themselves in each other's eyes.

"Not at the moment," she said softly. Alex was soon welcomed to the stage with applause.

"Thank you," she said, "This and every song is a tribute to my Greek ancestor, Karen, from whom I inherit her gift of song. She was fabled to have a voice to charm a thousand souls. Whether or not I live up to that is up to you; I just hope I sound good." The lights took on a purple-and-blue theme with the spinning white dots from the disco ball to sprinkle the mood. The dramatic piano/violin background played up as Alex set her face for the intensity of the song.

_Story of my life  
searching for the right,  
but it keeps avoiding me_

"Did Alex get a hold of you in the bathroom?" asked Jimmy.

"Yeah," she admitted sheepishly, "She's just rubbing it in now."

_Sorrow in my soul  
'cause it seems that wrong  
really loves my company_

"Ouch," he commented, "_That's _rubbing it."

"Shut up and dance," she said drily.

_He's more than a man  
and this is more than love,  
the reason that the sky is blue_

The clouds are rolling in  
because I'm gone again  
and to him I just can't be true

Alex's eyes searched Cindy out; she didn't know she'd made up so sweetly with Jimmy, and she was still plenty mad.

_And I know that he knows I'm unfaithful,  
and it kills him inside  
to know that I am happy with some other guy_

That was close to the truth, Cindy realized with a stab, but the chorus was what hit home for her.

_I can see him dying_

I don't wanna do this anymore  
I don't wanna be the reason why  
Every time I walk out the door,  
I see him die a little more inside

I don't wanna hurt him anymore!  
I don't wanna take away his life  
I don't wanna be…

The eyes of the singer burned.

_A murderer_

**Author's Review****:**  
Kinda morose for a bunch of elementary kids, huh? Oh, well. Man, I haven't updated this in so long; I hope I haven't lost the interest of my readers! Wah!


	11. Finish The Challenge

I'd like to give a special thank you to **superdork398**and **acosta perez jose ramiro, **my two most loyal readers/reviewers! I love you guys!

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_"Oh, what fools these mortals be!"—_Titania, _A Midsummer Night's Dream_

**Chapter 11: Finish The Challenge**  
Timmy stared at her, heartbroken.

"So you never did like me, huh?" he got out, "You played me?" Cindy looked back at him sadly.

"I'm sorry, Timmy," she said truthfully, "I should've told you. It was wrong for me to do that, and I know that now. I was an idiot at eleven."

"But Cindy, why?" Timmy asked.

"Because I loved Jimmy even back then, and I wanted to see if he'd fight for me, and how far he'd go for it. It was a stupid mistake, and I can't take it back. I'm sorry."

"You're _sorry?"_ Timmy exclaimed, "I waited eight years for a rejection? You couldn't just tell me at the dance? You let me believe in the false hope that you wanted to be with me, and you're sorry?" Jimmy moved behind Cindy.

"Watch it, Turner!" he warned, "Don't forget you're the one who deluded her and tried to put a wedge in our relationship!"

"Last _I_ checked, you didn't _have_ one!" Timmy shot back.

"Well, check again!" Cindy held up her left fist where Jimmy's homemade engagement ring sparkled in the sunlight for all the world to see.

"Honey, that is _beautiful!"_ Wanda popped up and looked at it with a jeweler's telescope thing (what are they called?), "Excellent quality, and the cut is impeccable!"

"He went to Jared!" added Cosmo, "He _is_ a genius!" (DISCLAIMER)

"Cosmo! Wanda! Not helping!" Timmy cut in, after which they zipped back into his watch. Then he glared at Jimmy.

"Eight years," seethed Timmy, "Plenty of time for _you_ to steal her from _me!"_

"Were you not listening?" Jimmy moved in front of Cindy, "She never liked you in the first place! Now take your programs and _**step off!"**_

"I'm not leaving without a fight, Big Brain!" shouted Timmy.

"Coincidentally," Jimmy responded, "I'm not _letting_ you leave without one!"

"Jimmy, no!" Cindy protested, holding his shirt sleeve, "I've had enough fighting, and I won't part ways like this! Please, guys! Don't fight again!"

The three of them (plus friends) stood there for a while. Jimmy and Timmy were locked in a silent battle of eye-lock with Cindy standing between them. Libby and Alex were behind Jimmy (where Cindy had come out); Sheen and Carl were behind Timmy (from where Jimmy had first been). Cori, Linda, Tara, and the other girls were anxiously watching from the iron rail balcony on the third floor at Alex's place with Frankie perched on the rail and Goddard poking his head through.

"Frankie," called Alex, "take the girls inside and consider yourself on guard duty. Tara, close the curtains, please."

"Okay, Mommy!" answered Tara, and they were soon alone again. Now Timmy and Cindy were having a staring contest.

"So," Timmy asked in a quiet voice, "you're really engaged?"

Cindy nodded. "Our wedding is next month." Timmy nodded understandingly, then sadly chuckled, "I should have known I couldn't beat a genius."

"Timmy," said Jimmy, "I never thought you were a bad person. It's just that I love Cindy, and the mere notion that anyone would try to take her away terrifies me more than anything. When you love someone and pledge your life to them, you want to protect them with everything in your power. But I don't want to be your enemy, either. I still want to keep in touch."

"Across two dimensions?" said Timmy.

"Sure," Jimmy shrugged, "I mean, hey: With my science and your two friends, what _can't_ we do?" Timmy smiled.

"You're right, Jimmy," he said, "You're both right. I don't want to be enemies, either. I won't stand in your way anymore; but if you guys _ever_ need our help, we'll be glad to poof in."

"Let's shake on it," smiled Jimmy, "and this time, I do mean shake." They laughed and shook hands (remember when they were snails?).

"Huh?" Cindy raised an eyebrow.

"I'll tell you later," said Jimmy.

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**Author's Review****:**  
Short chapter, I know, but just think of the NEXT chapter! YOU HAVE TO STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER OR I'LL DIE! Okay, I won't really die, but stay tuned anyway, I beg you!

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	12. I Do, At Last

And now, the chapter you've all been waiting for…

THE WEDDING CHAPTER! WHEEEEE! Please review and tell me how it was!

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_"Do you know what a Cinnabon is? It's bread! And cinnamon! And frosting! They heat it up!"—_Jerry Seinfeld as Barry Benson, _Bee Movie_

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**Chapter 12: I Do, At Last**  
(One month later…)

It was the day of the wedding. The golden hour had come at last! Guests were being filed into the chapel by ushers; the band was standing at the piano to play the interlude; April was sitting inconspicuously in a middle pew while her men assembled along the walls. Alex was assembling the bridesmaids in the foyer room before the chapel and directing Cori in front of them. Cori had a cute little white dress with a wreath of white daisies in her hair and white socks and shoes. Her brick-red hair was in one braid down her back with white and gold ribbons put in with it and tied with a white bow at the bottom. She had white gloves on her hands and held a white basket of pink rose petals. Her star clamp hung around her throat on a choker.

Alex and the other bridesmaids wore matching dresses of a soft purple with a layer of translucent pastel blue veil over the purple. The shoulder straps made the dress look like it hung on Alex like a curtain, and the skirt flew out if she twirled; it would make a perfect dancing dress! (Remember that for later!)

Cindy was in the bridal room in her dress, veil, wreath of flowers, and the necklace that carried her pearl. Libby, Judy, and Sasha were with her.

"Darling, what's wrong?" her mother asked.

"Mom," she blurted, "What if I'm no good at it? Being a wife and mother, I mean?"

"It's all right, honey," Sasha smiled, "You're just nervous, that's all. You worry about motherhood later. Today is about two people only: You and the young man waiting to marry you."

As a matter of fact, the young man waiting to marry her was in another room with his father, Cindy's father, and his two Best Men. He was all decked out, spit-and-polish perfect, and nervous as heck!

"Your pre-wedding jitters remind me of Jet's," Sheen chuckled.

"Except I'm not under the hypnosis of a maniac," said Jimmy, "But still…" Hugh patted his son on the back with a smile.

"Relax, Jimbo," he said, "Marriage is a huge step for everyone! Just love your bride honestly and fully, and take care of her as you would yourself." Cindy's father smiled and nodded in agreement.

"I have no qualms about you marrying my daughter, Jimmy," he said warmly, "I've watched you two grow up and blossom in your feelings for one another. I know you'll be everything she needs; that's what I've always wanted for her."

"Thank you," Jimmy said humbly, "I'll try to live up to that." The two fathers each hugged him and left the room.

"What's the matter, Vortex?" Hugh asked.

"I know Sasha and I will have little Sherem coming to our home soon," he sniffed, "and it was a joy to raise Alex to adulthood as her surrogate family, but…Cindy is my child, my only daughter. I'm so afraid to lose her." Hugh laid a hand across his shoulders.

"Buck up, old boy," he said encouragingly, "You're not losing a daughter, you're gaining a son!" Then he added emotionally, "_My_ son."

In the bride room, Cindy was now alone with Libby. The Maid of Honor was so pretty in her fuchsia dress; fuchsia was a hard color to wear, but Libby made it work.

"Libby," Cindy started, looking into her best friend's brown eyes, "I just want you to know that once Jimmy and I are married, we'll be focusing more on just each other than ever. But please remember that you are now and forever my best friend in the whole world and nothing will ever change that. You were there for me in more ways than any best friend, and I'll never forget it. I love you, Libby." Libby smiled mistily as she and Cindy hugged.

"I love you too, girl," she said, "and I'll never stop being your friend, no matter what! I'll always be there for you in every way possible, you and your entire family." They stood hugging while the prelude played from the chapel.

"I used to be afraid of change," Cindy confessed, "but this is one change I've been waiting for my whole life." Libby pulled back smiling.

"And I'm with you every step of the way," she said, "I promise." Alex knocked on the door and peeked in.

"Cindy," she said gently, "We're ready."

"Thanks, Alex," said Cindy as Alex walked in and Libby hurried out. Cindy went straight up to Alex and hugged her.

"Thank you, Alex," she said with humble sincerity.

"For what?" asked the redhead.

"For your faith," Cindy answered, "From the first time we met, you've always believed in me and Jimmy. Sometimes you seem more secure in our relationship than even we are." Alex laughed.

"It's all right," she said, "You showed me what your relationship is capable of the night we met. I know as well as anyone what it can do, and it amazes me: A love so strong, so deep, that even though anything and everything might try to separate you, nothing can keep you apart. I hope to find a love like that myself someday. In the meantime, your husband is waiting for you." Alex then left the room and Cindy's dad came in.

"Ready?" he asked. Cindy lifted her head and nodded confidently. "Ready!"

Jimmy stood on his side of the altar with Sheen and Carl behind him. Goddard stood somewhere nearby. Commander Baker was behind the altar, and Libby was beside it on Cindy's side. She looked at Sheen in his black tux with turquoise bow tie and matching cumberbunds! Carl's were pink. At the church piano, the band daughter Merlina was playing and singing Karen Carpenter's "Close To You" with her father and brothers backing her up. She caught Alex at the head of the bridesmaids out of the corner of her eye. At the redhead's signal, she quickly switched to the Wedding March as the men joined the guests in the pews.

Cori seemed to float (and she probably was) as she gently sprinkled the petals on the floor and sat in the front row. Alex and the other bridesmaids took their march and stood by Libby as the bride and her father walked down the aisle.

Jimmy's throat constricted and he had to swallow; who _was_ that? It certainly wasn't the bad-tempered, headstrong 11-year-old who had tormented him as a child. What he saw was an angel with blonde hair and green eyes who loved him more than words could say.

Cindy stepped up to the altar while her father sat by Cori and handed her bouquet to Libby. The next thing she knew, she was holding hands across the altar (in front of it) with Jimmy.

Commander Baker cleared his throat.

"Well, friends," he began, "I never thought I'd live to conduct such a momentous, long-awaited wedding. It is now my honor and _relief_ to seal these two together in wedlock (and quickly, before they change their minds). Jimmy, please repeat after me."

And Jimmy repeated after him, "I, James Isaac Neutron, take thee, Cynthia Aurora Vortex, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love, honor, and cherish, to defend and protect, for all the days of my life."

So beautiful were those words that Cindy gave up trying to protect her make-up and let the tears fall as she took her turn with the commander's prompting.

"I, Cynthia Aurora Vortex, take thee, James Isaac Neutron, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love, honor, and cherish, to defend and protect, for all the days of my life."

Little Jamal stepped up with two gold rings on a red velvet cushion. Jimmy removed one and put it on Cindy's finger underneath her engagement ring. Still pouring silent tears, Cindy took up Jimmy's ring and put it on him.

"By the power vested in me," the commander announced, "and on behalf of the citizens of Retroville, I finally pronounced you husband and wife! Jimmy, I never thought I'd say this, but…You may kiss the bride!"

The crowd erupted into cheers and tears as Jimmy and Cindy sealed the deal. Goddard barked and howled joyfully as the little girls hugged each other and hopped up and down.

"To the reception hall?" Jimmy invited, then added, "…dear?"

"Right behind you…_honey!"_ Cindy answered. They both burst out laughing.

"Man, y'all are _both_ crazy!" smiled Libby. Cindy hugged her and they left the chapel with Jimmy as everyone dispersed for the church reception hall!

As Jimmy looked back, he saw another familiar woman standing by the wall in a short white dress with fat shoulder straps and no décor with her long jet black hair floating slightly, and just over her knee caps, her feet disappeared into the floor at the ankles. Her translucency explained no one noticing her, but Jimmy did. She smiled at him; it was Sneris! She'd come to see him be married, too. She placed her hand on her heart as she had the last time he'd seen her and bowed her head once. Then Captain Betty moved across his vision, and she was gone.

* * *

**Author's Review****:**  
Boy, don't you just love cameo appearances? I love Sneris so much! She deserves a prettier name than that…meh.

This chapter is special to me because this is the first wedding chapter I've ever written in a story! Hooray! Come and celebrate with me and leave a nice review!


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